48 Kington Si. Michael. 



Church.' Confirmed by King Edmund to Archbishop Wulfhelm 

 at the well known place called Chippenham." 



By this favourite, on whom Grittleton and Nettleton were also 

 bestowed, Langley was transferred to Glastonbury Abbey. 



Langley Fitzxjrse, or Fitzurse Farm. 

 Under the Abbey a portion of Langley was held at the Conquest 

 by Urso, founder of the Fitzurse family, who also held under the 

 same Lords, Clapcote in Grittleton, and Swinley above mentioned, 

 by service and payment of scutage. In 1221 his descendant Jordan 

 Fitzurse, tired of paying scutage, and wishing to make his estate 

 independent of the Monks, resisted their claim, but finally sub- 

 mitted. Some Deeds (copied by Aubrey) refer to transactions 

 between this family and the Abbey, touching certain mills and 

 ponds ; and now and then a quarrel with the neighbouring lord of 

 Langley Burrell about boundaries and rights of feeding. 



From whatever other amiable qualities the Fitzurse family may 

 have derived its name, a good afiection towards Churchmen clearly 

 was not one of them, if it is true, as always has been stated, that 

 Reo-inald of that ilk was one of the assassins of Thomas a Becket. 

 Their principal tenement here is still recognized in the name of 

 Fitzurse farm, now an ordinary house on the north side of the vil- 

 lao-e green, but formerly one of greater pretension. In Aubrey's 

 time it was an ancient building with a great hall ; and a moat, of 

 which there are some traces. 



In Edward YI. it had passed into the hands of Thomas Montagu, 

 one the Abbot's tenants ; and from his representative William 

 Montagu, Esq., it was bought about 1580 by Sir Owen Hopton, 

 Kt., of a Sufiblk family. Lieutenant of the Tower.^ It came to Sir 

 Ealph Hopton of Witham Friary, Co. Som., created, for his loyalty 

 to Charles I., Baron Hopton of Stratton, Co. Cornwall.^ He died 



1 Proceedings in Chancery, vol. II., p. 18. in a suit by Wm. Montagu against 

 Sir Thomas Tasburgh and others, to discover deeds relating to this property, 

 which had been settled (by Thomas Montagu) on him and his brothers. 



2 Sir Ralph was nearly blinded by an explosion of gunpowder at Marshfield 

 after the battle of Lansdown ; and was carried to Chippenham and thence to 

 Devizes. 



